俐 meaning and stroke order
Smooth; active; clever, sharp
How to write 俐, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 俐
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 伶俐[ling2 li4]
How 俐 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 利 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 俐
A person 亻 who is sharp like 利 (lì, sharp, beneficial) is quick and clever. The 利 on the right also gives the sound lì.
俐 almost never appears alone. You will mostly see it in 伶俐 (línglì, clever, quick-witted), often used to praise children, and in 俐落 (lìluo), a variant spelling of 利落 meaning neat and efficient. Example: 这个孩子很伶俐。(Zhège háizi hěn línglì.) This child is very clever.
Common mistake: Learners often write 利 instead of 俐 in 伶俐. 俐 needs the person radical 亻 on the left. 利落 is the more standard spelling, so 俐落 should be read as a variant rather than a separate word.
Common words with 俐
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 俐落 | lìluo | variant of 利落[li4 luo5] | |
| 伶俐 | línglì | clever; witty; intelligent; deft; adroit |
俐 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 俐
How many strokes are in 俐?
俐 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 俐 mean?
俐 (lì) means smooth; active; clever, sharp. A common word with it is 俐落 (lìluo), meaning "variant of 利落[li4 luo5]".
How do you pronounce 俐?
俐 is pronounced lì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 俐?
The radical of 俐 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 俐 under this radical.
Is 伶俐 the same as 聪明 (cōngming)?
They overlap, but 伶俐 stresses being quick, nimble and bright in speech or action. 聪明 is the general word for smart. 伶俐 often describes children or young people, as in 聪明伶俐.
Should I write 利落 or 俐落?
Both appear, and both mean neat, efficient or agile. 利落 is the standard form in mainland dictionaries, while 俐落 is a variant you may see in Taiwan and in older texts.